Techniques for implementing phone number-based user accounts with permissions to access varying levels of services utilizing visible and hidden contact addresses
This application sets forth techniques for managing phone number-based user accounts. According to some embodiments, a server computing device can be configured to carry out the steps of (1) receiving, from a first client computing device, a request to create a user account based on a phone number, (2) in response to authenticating that the first client computing device is associated with the phone number: creating the user account based on the phone number, creating a hidden contact address based on the phone number, and assigning the hidden contact address to the user account, and (3) in response to receiving a notification that a second client computing device is associated with the phone number: requiring the user account to be updated to be based on a different phone number, or assigning, to the user account, a visible contact address based on the phone number.
1. A method for managing phone number-based user accounts, the method comprising, by a server computing device:
receiving a request to create a user account based on a phone number;
authenticating an ownership of the phone number;
creating hidden and visible contact addresses based on the phone number, wherein the hidden contact address permits access to a first subset of services that omits at least a second subset of services that are otherwise accessible using the visible contact address;
assigning the hidden contact address to the user account and a first client computing device to permit the first client computing device to access the first subset of services; and
assigning the visible contact address to the user account and a second client computing device to permit the second client computing device to access the first and second subsets of services.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein authenticating the ownership of the phone number comprises:
receiving, from a client computing device that issues the request, a first verification that a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) accessible to the client computing device is associated with the phone number,
receiving, from the client computing device, a second verification that the client computing device received a Short Message Service (SMS) code, or
some combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to assigning the visible contact address to the user account:
creating the visible contact address based on the phone number.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first subset of services includes:
client computing device recovery services,
cloud sharing services, or
some combination thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second subset of services includes:
messaging-based communication services,
audio/video-based communication services, or
some combination thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first client computing device comprises a first type of client computing device,
the second client computing device comprises a second type of client computing device, and
the first and second types of client computing devices are distinct from one another.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the user account based on the phone number comprises assigning the phone number to the user account.
8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by at least one processor included in a server computing device, cause the server computing device to manage phone number-based user accounts, by carrying out steps that include:
receiving a request to create a user account based on a phone number;
authenticating an ownership of the phone number;
creating hidden and visible contact addresses based on the phone number, wherein the hidden contact address permits access to a first subset of services that omits at least a second subset of services that are otherwise accessible using the visible contact address;
assigning the hidden contact address to the user account and a first client computing device to permit the first client computing device to access the first subset of services; and
assigning the visible contact address to the user account and a second client computing device to permit the second client computing device to access the first and second subsets of services.
9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein authenticating the ownership of the phone number comprises:
receiving, from a client computing device that issues the request, a first verification that a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) accessible to the client computing device is associated with the phone number,
receiving, from the client computing device, a second verification that the client computing device received a Short Message Service (SMS) code, or
some combination thereof.
10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the steps further include, prior to assigning the visible contact address to the user account:
creating the visible contact address based on the phone number.
11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first subset of services includes:
client computing device recovery services,
cloud sharing services, or
some combination thereof.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the second subset of services includes:
messaging-based communication services,
audio/video-based communication services, or
some combination thereof.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein:
the first client computing device comprises a first type of client computing device,
the second client computing device comprises a second type of client computing device, and
the first and second types of client computing devices are distinct from one another.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein creating the user account based on the phone number comprises assigning the phone number to the user account.
15. A server computing device configured to manage phone number-based user accounts, the server computing device comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server computing device to carry out steps that include:
receiving a request to create a user account based on a phone number;
authenticating an ownership of the phone number;
creating hidden and visible contact addresses based on the phone number, wherein the hidden contact address permits access to a first subset of services that omits at least a second subset of services that are otherwise accessible using the visible contact address;
assigning the hidden contact address to the user account and a first client computing device to permit the first client computing device to access the first subset of services; and
assigning the visible contact address to the user account and a second client computing device to permit the second client computing device to access the first and second subsets of services.
16. The server computing device of claim 15 , wherein authenticating the ownership of the phone number comprises:
receiving, from a client computing device that issues the request, a first verification that a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) accessible to the client computing device is associated with the phone number,
receiving, from the client computing device, a second verification that the client computing device received a Short Message Service (SMS) code, or
some combination thereof.
17. The server computing device of claim 15 , wherein the steps further include, prior to assigning the visible contact address to the user account:
creating the visible contact address based on the phone number.
18. The server computing device of claim 15 , wherein the first subset of services includes:
client computing device recovery services,
cloud sharing services, or
some combination thereof.
19. The server computing device of claim 15 , wherein the second subset of services includes:
messaging-based communication services,
audio/video-based communication services, or
some combination thereof.
20. The server computing device of claim 15 , wherein:
the first client computing device comprises a first type of client computing device,
the second client computing device comprises a second type of client computing device, and
the first and second types of client computing devices are distinct from one another.